I See You #8...We Are UK

I had the absolute pleasure of witnessing history on Monday night. History that has been lurking in the works for 14 years according to us, CATS fans. I can basically tell you about any notable game in the history of Kentucky basketball since 1992. I know where I have been for each painful loss during NCAA tournament time over the years. And while I could rattle them off to you while scratching Beau's belly, doing a People mag crossword, and whipping up a Derby wreath, I will spare you and myself the heartache of it all. Let's just focus on the happiness: 2012 National Champs!


There are no words that can do the experience justice. So I'll share the moments with you in pictures. Don't be afraid to get chills or shed a few tears. I certainly did and still do when I think about it.

Tay's sign at UK

reverse french mani

hello final four

taken' on the cards

warm up time boys

onto the championship ;)

don't mind her red

outside the dome

family photo pre-game

anxiously awaiting the start

preggos

former Indy Colts coach Jim Caldwell

here we go CATS!

pre game on Bourbon Street

inlaw, sib, inlaw

mr & mrs

bffs getting a meal in before the championship

we converted Willie with a UK head tattoo

storm CATS are coming for ya

getting ready for the battle

hello national championship

halftime score...lookin pretty

literally screamed & cheered the whole game

post game all smiles

the dream team

it just looks so right

love coach Cal

cut those nets baby

Sony Ericsson Open Recap (Week 2)

Week two proved to be just as thrilling as week one. Roddick upset RFed (insert sad face) and the Williams sisters continued to roll through competition until the end of the week. #1 seed Victoria Azarenka went down in the semi-finals to Radwanska. Nadal withdrew from the semis before even stepping on the court to face Andy Murray. Although the men's and women's finals were a bit of a blow out, the overall level of competition during the tournament was amazing. Fans had to be enthralled with the intensity and tenacity of the player field.

Djokovic defeats Murray in the finals

More celebs piled in to see the action. Lots of repeat offenders returned to cheer on their faves, and Jimmy Buffett played nice with double duo Bob & Mike Bryan. Marc Cohn, writer of the famed song Walking in Memphis, enjoyed a few days in the sun too. Other notable names include PGA golfer Keegan Bradley, Minnesota Vikings' QB Christian Ponder, and PR guru (and Kardashian pal) Jonathan Cheban. See, tennis is for everyone!

Of course we had some fan action onsite as well. I am not sure if it was the hot sun shining, the liquor flowing, or the extreme tennis that had some fans acting like it was Friday the 13th, but there were a few adults who attempted practical pranks turned into being escorted off the property forcefully. Proving once again that adults can behave like children ;)

Radwanska takes home the women's title

All in all, the SEO 2012 was a huge success and I'm already gearing up for 2013. See you there!   

A Uni K Experience

Ryan likes fancy clothes. I like fancy pampering. Manis, pedis, facials, massages, and waxes. Its my indulgence and not a bad one to have if I may say so. I am not particularly partial or loyal to any one spa...not since moving from Miami. We've hopped around so much that it makes it hard to find a place to fall in love with ya know. And I'm not that picky because if it gets the job done, then who am I to judge?

While in Miami, I needed a little indulgence. I put my team spirit on for my Wildcats with a reverse french in blue & white, but I wasn't satisfied with just that. So I hit up Uni KWax my last day in the sunshine state. I had a 10% off coupon from my valet ticket (great advertising $$$ spent) and happened to be in the area. I walked in sans an appointment and they took me back immediately despite the place being bustling with clients. The whole process lasted 15 minutes from the time I walked in the door until I paid and exited hair free. It was literally the least painful, most efficient, cost effective waxing of my life. And I'm not talking eye brows here ladies. Plus I got a rewards card to boot!

I thought they were only located in FL, but much to my happiness I discovered that they are in the NYC too! I can't wait to rack up the points baby and pamper myself away. If you're in Florida or New York, this is a must try. So go enjoy a Uni K experience of your own!

Friday's Fashion Forward

Tennis isn't the only passion of professional player Venus Williams. She's dabbling in a bit of fashion as well with her active-wear, tennis inspired company EleVen. The line displays palate colors of white, black, pink, and gray. Her signature catch phrase "oh & oh" brings a fun & flirty twist to the collection. From tennis tanks and tees to short shorts and tennis skirts, EleVen has something for every active woman especially tennis fashionistas.

EleVen Collection

tennis polo shirts

fun tanks & yoga-like pants

love & love

If you're onsite at the Sony Ericsson Open, stop by the retail tent (located next to the Bombay Sapphire lounge) for a sneak peek. To purchase online, click here.

Happy Shopping!

InvolvedFan.com

What better way to contribute to your fave athletes than to aid them in their success? As a fan, to have the ability to help a player advance his/her career is priceless. But in case that reward itsels isn't enough for you, skype sessions, autographed memorabilia, and meet n' greets can be arranged. Yes, you read correctly. You, the fan, can get involved with your fave athletes on a whole new level.

InvolvedFan.com, launched 2 months ago, provides a unique experience for enthusiastic fans to financially assist their fave athletes while getting personal one-on-one interaction. The cencept is simple and rewarding all at the same time. Crowdfunding is the collective cooperation by people who network and pool their money together in order to support an effort. Crowdfunding replaces formal and traditional fundraising techniques with a more casual yet powerful approach, based on crowd participation and groups around the world who share an interest in funding a person, project or event. The access to information further spreads awareness about the cause.

Crowdfunding has been trending for about 5 years now; yet hadn't broken into the sports world until founder Dan Nagler developed the concept. Most people believe that all tennis and golf players live the easy life making loads of money through winning tournaments, endorsements, and sponsorship deals. But the truth is that not all athletes are Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova. In fact, it is quite expensive to be a professional tennis player. Costs include airfare, hotel, ground transportation, a full-time travel coach, a full-time travel hitting partner, a full-time travel fitness coach, a sports psychologist, and an international cell phone. Unlike team sports where these costs are covered by the team, in tennis the expense is borne entirely by the player.


InvolvedFan.com's mission is to bring professional athletes and fans together in a way like never before. Their model uses membership benefits and player support to bring fans closer to the action and create a direct fan-player connection. It allows you to have an actual impact on the players’ success through player support. The support system created by InvolvedFan.com uses membership dollars to help finance the costs associated with a professional tennis player’s career, including travel and coaching.

Benefiting a player has its perks. A monthly enewsletter, tickets to competitions, and private lessons are among the many membership benefits. For a full list of fan fun, click here. Plus you can donate to your player of choice. Whether its a player from your home country or a star you can't wait to see rising up the rankings. The power lies in the hand of the fan. To donate, simply click here and pick your superstar.

If you're a player and want to become more involved with your fans, sign up is easy as 1-2-3. Simply click here, read the verbage, and sign your name. In today's society, we need all the help we can get. And our fans are our livelihood.

Check out the article World Tennis Magazine wrote featuring InvolvedFan.com here.



So come on, join the fan fun and help make a difference in your fave player's career!